It's interesting you say about government jobs offering security. They do in the UK too, but here in Australia not so much. They like to do contracts, commonly 3 or 5 years and there is also that 3-6 month probation period, where they can drop you if they decide you don't fit. Once you have the contract you're set for that period, but not for your working life.

My friend's husband is currently an unemployed local government worker. He broke a contract two years early in the country because they wanted to be back near family and in their own home, but he hasn't been able to get anything local. He's not gotten past the probation periods on three jobs since, one of which was three hours away in South Australia and the other two were in Western Australia and a different time zone.

Welcome to the country where nothing is guaranteed and the work environment is full of back stabbers as people panic to try and keep their jobs.